Printing unit and drive mechanism therefor



Aug. 24, 1948. J. A. raises ETAL f 2,447,872

PRINTING UNIT AND DRIVE MECHANISM THEREFOR Filed Jan; 12. 1945 5 Sheets-Sheet 2 *c/aJe h (A p11 Q 8.67270) ar #1 #07 R Q 0/2/76 We wma na/ l\ 5112.4..- k kiwj, Md;

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PRINTING UNIT AND DRIVE MECHANISM THEREFOR Filed Jan. 12, 1945 6 Sheets-Sheet 4 52 3 o 5/ I 1 a2 44 63 55 32 5 N' 5 I fp 75 Q 2 43 4 O s 75 r p\ 26;

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PRINTING UNIT AND DRIVE NECHANISH THEREFOR Filed Jan. 12, 1945 5 Shouts-Shoot 6 U A U asap 1 a N T Q 5117047 WQ/oz/ngfm v Glynis/omen )rne Q xrefl Patented Aug. 24, 1948 PRINTING UNIT AND DRIVE MECHANISM THEREFOR Joseph A. Riggs, Hlnsdale, Emory W. Worthington, Chicago, and Christopher Verne Knoll, Glen Ellyn, ILL. assimors to The Goss Printing Pressigompany, Chicago, Ill., a corporation of Application January as, 1945, Serial No. 572,568

(or. rot-21s) it his.

The present invention pertains to rotary type printing press units such as are employed in newspaper printing and like fields and more particularly to drive mechanisms therefor.

Units of the type noted commonly embody two printing couples with an inking mechanism heneath each and arranged symmetrically on opposite sides of a central vertical median plane, the rotary elements of the couples and inking mechanisms being in parallelism and Journaled at their opposite ends in spaced side frames for the unit. Such side frames ordinarily have central openings or entrances in order that an operator may enter the space between the two sideby-side inking mechanisms for access to the same. In the units heretofore employed, however, it has been common to lead a vertical drive shaft upward along the center line of one side of the unit, this being the so-called "drive side, with the result that the opening into the unit at that side is almost completely blocked. making the interior accessible from only the opposite side.

One general object of the present invention is to obviate the dimculty noted above by providing a unit with a drive mechanism such that it occasions no central obstruction at either side of the unit.

More particularly it is an object of the invention to provide a printing press in which the inking mechanism, fountain, etc, for each one or more of the printing cylinders employed are located in substantial vertical alinement beneath the same and a drive established to each such printing cylinder through a corresponding vertical shaft rising to the same at one end of the cylinder from a depressed horizontal main drive shaft and with drives tapped oil from the vertical shaft at appropriate points for the inking mechanism, etc. vidualized connections for each printing cylinder and its associated mechanisms, with the driven elements disposed as noted, there is no obstruction laterally of the cylinder occasioned by the drive mechanism.

' A further object is to achieve maximum simplicity of construction and precision of operation by providing a drive mechanism in which the drive connections for the printing cylinder inking mechanism, and desirably also the fountain. all stem directly from a single drive shaft.

Another object is to provide a two-couple print- In consequence of such indiing unit having a. drive mechanism such that clearance between the impression and printing 2 of the drive connections to the printing cylinders so that no change in registry for the printing cylinders will occur as an incident to such adjustment.

Another object is to provide a unit having a constant registry drive for the printing cylinder oi the character indicated above, but in which provision is made for selective reversibility for one or more of the couples of the unit.

Another and important object oi the inven-' tion is to provide a unit having a drive mechanism such as to utilize interchangeable parts in the major portion of such mechansim for presses constructed to accommodate printing cylinders of difi'erent standard diameters, such for example as 14 /2 and 15 inches.

Still another object is to provide a rotary printing press having a novel correlation of reversing mechanism for the printing cylinder and associated fountain so that even though the fountain drive-connection stems from a. portion of the cylinder drive, which is reversed as an 4 incident to reversal of the latter, the drive for the fountain will remain unidirectional.

Further objects and advantages of the invention will become apparent as the following description proceeds taken in connection with the acompanying drawings, in which:

Figure 1 shows diagrammatically the layout of cylinders and rollers in a rotary printing press unit in which the present invention may be applied.

Fig. 2 is a schematic perspective view of the basic elements of the printing cylinder drive connections utilized in carrying out the present invcntion.

Fig. 3 is a view similar to Fig. 2 but showing more completely the drive connections not only to the printing cylinders but also to the inking mechanisms and fountain rollers for a unit like that diagrammed in Fig. 1.

Fig. 4 is a side elevation, taken from the drive side. of a. press-unit embodying the present invention, the housings or covers for the various drive elements being shown in section in order to expose the interiorly located parts. I

Fig. 5 is a fragmentary side elevation of the unit showing the side opposite that appearing in Fig. 4.

Fig. 6 is a fragmentary enlarged detail sectional view showing the inter-unit coupling as well as the reversible connection between the horizontal drive shaft for the unit and one of the vertical shafts leading to the printing cylinder.

Fig. 7=is an enlarged fragmentary detail vertical sectional view through the mountings for the cylinders and the left-hand one of the couples of the unit of Fig. a

Fig. 8 is an enlarged fragmentary detail sectional view taken substantially along the line 8-5 in Fig. 4.

Fig. 9 is a fragmentary detail sectional view taken substantially along the line ii-9 in Fig. 8.

While the invention is susceptible of various modifications and alternative constructions, we have shown in the drawings and will herein describe in detail the preferred embodiment, but it is to be understood that we do not thereby intend to limit the invention to the specific form disclosed, but intend to cover all modifications and alternative constructions falling within the spirit and scope of the invention as expressed in the appended claims.

General organization of printing unit.

The particular unit iii, chosen for illustration herein as an exemplary embodiment of the invention, is one designed for high speed newspa per work. The general layout of cylinders and rollers in the unit will be evident from Fig. 1. As there indicated, two printing couples ii, i2 are incorporated in the unit consisting of respective printing or plate cylinders M, ii and companion impression cylinders iii, ll. Beneath each printing cylinder I i, i5 is its associated inking mechanism i8, H9. The inking mechanisms may take a variety of forms and in the present instance each comprises a pair of vibrating rotary drums 20, 2| and coacting rollers 22, 25 driven by frictional contact with the drums.

Ink is supplied from fountain rollers 23 running partially submerged in baths of ink (not shown) in fountains indicated at 24. Ink is carried by these fountain rollers to pick-up rollers 25 which are. in frictional contact with" adjacent ones of the rollers 22 and driven thereby. The ink passes upward on the surfaces of successive ones of the elements of the inking mechanism, being distributed by axial vibration of the drums 20, 2| relative to the rollers 22 and is finally applied to the printing or plate cylinders l4, l5. Any suitable means may be provided for regulating the supply of ink from the fountain rollers 23 such for example as-a regulating blade arrangement (not shown) like that disclosed in E. W. Worthington Patent No. 2,253,158 issued August 19, 1941.

A web 26 of paper may be threaded through the couples ii, i2 in various ways, as for example as shown in Fig. 1 where it is illustrated as arranged to accommodate printing of its opposite sides by respective ones of the two couples.

The printing and impression cylinders constituting the couples ll, I2, as well as the rotary elements of the inking mechanisms l8, 19, are Journaled at their opposite ends in side frames 21, 28 (shown respectively in Figs. 4 and 5) The frame construction, as such, forms no part of the present invention, the particular frame illustrated being described and claimed in the copending application of Emory W. Worthington, Serial No. 572,567, filed January 12, 1945. For the present suffice it to say that the frames have been shown as being of an arch form in which the printing couples are arranged sideby-side with the upper cylinder in each couple, in this instance the impression cylinder I6, l1, offset laterally toward each other so that the centers of the cylinders in each couplelie on Printing cylinder drive connections A basic feature of the novel drive mechanism for the unit shown is,,as indicated in Fig. 2, the provision ofdirect, vertically extending drive connections to each of the printing cylinders l4, I5.

For that purpose, a horizontally extending main drive shaft 30 is arrangedto' extend alongside the unit at a depressed or low level substantially below the same and from this horizontal shaft rise individual vertical drive shafts 3| directly to respective ones of the printing cylinders. The lower ends of the shafts 5| are connected to the horizontal shaft 30 through pairs of bevel gears 32, 33 while the upper ends of the shafts 3| are connected to the associated printing cylinders .by bevel ears 34, 35. The gears 32 and 34 are rigid with the lower and upper ends respectively of the shafts 3! while the gears 35 are rigid with the cylinders Itl,,|5. The .bevel gears 33, on the other hand, although coaxial with the shaft 30 are not rigidwith it but, instead, provision is made by coupling them to the shaft at will for purposes which will later appear.

To complete the drives for the couples ll, 12

the impression cylinders l6, I1 are driven from their corresponding printing cylinders HI, l5 (Fig. 3). Spur gears 35, compounded with the bevel gears 35 on the printing cylinders, mesh with spur gears 31 on the impression cylinders.

Several important advantages accrue from the use of individual drive connections direct to each of the printing or plate cylinders as described above. Among these are elimination of any obstruction to the side frame entrance openings 29,

elimination of possibility of faulty registry as the consequence of adjustment of pressure between printing and impression cylinders and adaptation of the press to installation in the same of cylindersof a variety of diameters.

With reference to maintenance of the frame entrance openings 29 unobstructed, it will be observed (Fig. 4) that the drive connections rise directly to the printing cylinders M, I5. Since the printing cylinders themselves are disposed on opposite sides of the openings, the drive connections extending directly to them do not obstruct the openings in any way. Such an arrangement is to be contrasted with those heretofore common where two-couple units have been employed in which a central drive shaft has been carried up along the center line of one side frame and then connections branched out laterally to the two couples. See'for example Fig. 2 of C. S. Crafts Patent No. 2,085,185 issued June 29, 1937.

With reference to elimination of the possibiltiy of faulty registry as the consequence of adjustment of pressure between printing and impression cylinders, it is to be noted that in any printing couple provision should be made for adjusting the pressure between the printing and impression cylinders. In the present instance that adjustment is accomplished by shifting the impression cylinders while the axes of the printing cylinders always remain fixed. The adjustinent mechanism itself may be of the form illustrated in Fig. 7. As there shown, the end shaft of the impression cylinder is received in an eccentrically located bearing in a cylindrical sleeve the opp site side of the unit. For furtherdetaii V of an adjusting mechanism suitable for the pur-- pose, reference may be made to C. S. Crafts Patent No. 2,079,001, issued May 4, 1937, and particularly Figs. 1 and 3 thereof.

In any printing couple in which the impression and printing cylinders are connected by spur gears, alteration in the displacement between the axes of the cylinders inherently altersthe backlash in the gear connection. With the drive mechanism disclosed herein, such alteration in backlash is of no consequence however in so far as maintenance of registry of the printing cylinders is concerned, since the point of altered back-lash does not lie between the source of power and the printing cylinders but is instead interposed between the latter and the impression cylinders. Alteration in impression cylinder registry is of relatively no moment. This factor of maintaining accurate and precise registry or angular position for the printing cylinders is of It will be understood that an identical endless chains It (Fig. 6) in housing I. Sultable couplings, designated generally as 02 (Fig. 8) may be provided for connecting together the drive shafts 3.0 of adjacent units when it is desired to operate. them in unison.

The couplings 62 comprise,in this instance, matching spur gears 58, 54 fixed to the adjacent ends of shafts 30 together with an internally toothed ring gear 55 meshing with such spur gears and fixed to a collar 06 axially slidable on a. bushing 51 fixed to one of the shaft ends and rigid with the spur gear 54. The other spur gear 53 is rigid with a sprocket 58 over which the chain 50 is trained. When the ring gear 55 is in mesh with both of the spur gears 53, 84, the

shafts are thus coupled together whereas when the ring gear is slid axially to the left (as viewed in Fig. 6), out of mesh with the spur-gear 53, the shafts are disconnected. Axial-shifting of the collar 56 and ring gear 55 rigid with it is accomplished by a fork 59 pivoted on a rocket shaft 60 and swung by a suitable operating lever (not shown). This fork is connected by trunnions 6| with a .ring 62 which is in turn connected by an antifriction thrust bearing 83 with the collar 53. By virtue of such couplings 52 between successive units, they may be coupled to operate in unison The drums 20, 2| of the inking mechanisms I8, l9 are driven directly from intermediate portions of the corresponding vertical drive shafts 3! special importance in colorwork and conse quently the herein disclosed drive mechanism is especially suited for such use.

As to adaptation of the present press unit for cylinders of different diameters, it will'be perceived that substantially the same drive elements may be used throughout in constructing a press having cylinders of any one of a variety of diameters, the principal change necessary being simply to make appropriate alteration in the size of the spur gears 36, 31 which connect the components of the couples. Such standardization of a major portion of the parts of the press is of considerable practical importance in view of the fact casing being located below the level of the floor 41. The wall brackets or sills 46 may be supported by the usual Y-columns 48.

Ordinarily a plurality of units like [0 are arranged in a series with their drive shafts 30 alined end-to-end as indicated in Fig. 4, an additional unit Ill being there shown fragmentarily. Such units may be driven by a suitable electric motor or motors arranged either for unit drive,

multi-drive, or group drive. In the present instance, an electric drive motor 49 has been shown in Fig. 4 for the unit It and a similar motor 49 for the unit Ill, these motors being connected to the drive shafts 30 of their respective units by which rise adjacent their ends. For that purpose, bevel gears 64 (Fig. 3) are fixed to the intermediate portions of these shafts 3| and meshed with companion bevel gears 65:. The latter bevel gears are compounded with spur gears 66 which in turn mesh with spur gears Eli and 88 on the drums 20 and 2! respectively. The gears I 66 are sufficiently wide with respect to the gears ceived that upon 'unbolting these brackets, the

shafts 3|, together withthe gears fixed thereto, may-be removed as a unit. This not only simplifies maintenance and repair,'but also makes possible initial bench assembly of such shaft and gear units thereby minimizing the erection time for the press.

Axial vibration of the inking drums 20, 2! is accomplished by mechanism located on the side of the press opposite the drive side, or in other words, at the so-called operating side"- (Figs. 3 and 5). Such mechanism is driven from the printing or plate cylinders I4, l5, identical mechanism being provided for each of the pairs of inking drums 20, 2| of the two ends of the press unit.-

Thus, each of these mechanisms includes a bevelgear 12 fixed to the associated one of the printing cylinders and meshing with a .bevel gear 13. The

latter gears are fixed on shafts I4 journaled in bearings carried by brackets I5 on removable mounting plates 16, each shaft 14 having rigid therewith a pair of eccentrics I1, 18. The eccentrics are connected by eccentric rods I8,

Provision has been made in the disclosed printing press unit for reversing one of its couples with reference to the other by simple clutch actuation as distinguished from a much more complicated meshed with a worm wheel IOI carried by a Jack ,shaft I02 also carrying thereon a spur gear I; (see also Fig. 8). The shafts I02 are mounted in antifriction bearings I04 in a bracket I00 fixed to the face of the side frame 21. The gears I03 in turn each mesh with a corresponding spur gear I08 carried by shafts I0'l Journaled in antifriction bearings I08 in the frame 21. The latter shafts I01 also have fixed thereto gears I09 meshing with gears IIO on the end of shafts 23 carrying the fountain rollers 23.

procedure of slipping gears, etc., frequently employed in prior units. Such reversal is frequently required in rewebbing the press for difierent .purposes, as for example when it is to be used for multi-color work.

In the particular construction shown (see Figs. 2, 4 and 6), provision has been made for reversing the couple I I. For that purpose, a bevel gear 33, companion to the bevel gear 33 heretofore noted and meshing with the bevel gear 32, is utilized. By coupling alternate ones of the bevel gears 33, 33 to the shaft 30 and permitting the other to turn idly, the vertical shaft 3i can be driven in respective opposite directions. To effect such coupling, a sleeve 85 (Fig. 6) is splined to the shaft 30 and has spur gears 81, 88 rigid with its opposite ends and adapted to mesh with corresponding internal ring gears 89, 90 integral with the bevel gears 30, 33. When the sleeve is in the central or neutral position shown in Fig. 6, the couple II is silenced entirely. Shift of the sleeve 85 to the left couples the bevel gear 33 to the shaft 34, effecting rotation of the couple II in one direction, while shift of the sleeve in the opposite direction couples the alternate bevel gear 33 to the shaft for rotation of the couple in the opposite direction. The sleeve 05 may be moved by a shifter fork M (Fig. 4) pivoted on a rock shaft 02, the latter being provided with any suitable form of manual operating lever (not shown).

In the case of the right hand bevel gear 33 provision has been made for clutching this gear to the shaft 30 at will to make possible silencing of the couple I2 when desired. For that purpose a' adapted to be moved by the sleeve into or out of mesh with an internal gear (not shown but like 00) in the hub of the associated gear 33.

In connection with reversibility of the unit, it is to be observed that for either direction of rotation the backlash in the drives to both printing cylin- In the case of the fountain roller for the rich hand couple I2, the foregoing completes the drive connections, the gear I03 being in that instance fast on the shaft I02. For the other fountain roller, however, provision must be made for automatically reversing it upon reversal of the shaft 3| from which it is driven. That is necessary since the fountain rollers must revolve undirectionally. Otherwise they cannot function in coaction with their regulating blades heretofore noted. It is to be observed, incidentally, that the direction of rotation for the pick-up rollers 25 relative to the fountain rollers is of no moment.

.To afford a unidirectional drive for the left fountain roller 23 (Fig. 3) from the associated shaft 8|, which latterds reversed to reverse the couple II, the gear I03 in the train to this roller ders of the unit is the same. Moreover, it is the same for all printing cylinders of all units in a series of the same. Accordingly the webbing of the unit or units may be changed and individual couples reversed without altering registry by change in backlash.

Fountain drive connections Provision is desirably made. for driving the fountain rollers 23 (Figs. 1 and 3) directly from the adjacent vertical drive shafts 3i in order to simplify and minimize the length of the drive connections to such rollers. For that purpose worms I00 (Fig. 3) are fixed to each of the shafts 3| and i connected to its associated shaft I02 by a oneway clutch -III (Figsr8 and 9). Such clutch consists of a generally disk shaped cage I I2 fixed to the shaft I02 and peripherally notched as at M3 to present pockets tapering in a direction circumferentially of the cage to abrupt ends or shoulders. In these pockets are rollers I I4 confined by the surrounding gear I03. Upon rotation clockwise the rollers II4 tend to roll upward along the inclined bottoms of the pockets II3, wedging tightly between the cage and gear so that the latter revolves with the cage. Upon rotation counterclockwise the rollers IM roll down to the enlarged lower ends of the pockets, permitting the shaft I02 to turn freely relative to the gear I00 so that the latter does not turn.

' To complete the unidirectional drive for the left fountain roller 20 a second gear train is led off from the associated one of the shafts 3i (Fig. 3) and which is generally like that described except that it is arranged to operate only when the shaft 3i is revolving in a direction opposite to that required for driving of the fountain roller through the'train already described. Thus the second train includes a worm wheel IIlI meshing with the worm I00and fixed on a shaft I02 carrying a gear I 03. The latter meshes with the gear I00 just as does the corresponding gear I03. In this instance the gear I03 is connected to its shaft I0?! by a one-way clutch III"- (Fig. 9) precisely like the clutch III heretofore described.

When the lefthand shaft 3| (Fig. 3) is rotating clockwise (as viewed from its upper end) the shaft I02 turns clockwise (as viewed from its outer end) and the shaft I02 turns counterclockwise. Accordingly; the gear I03 is coupled to the-shaft I02 by the clutch III and drives the fountain roller 23'through I 06, I01, I09, H0. Upon reversal of the shaft 3|, the clutch III disengages and the other clutch III engages, so that the fountain roller continues to turn in the samedirection.

We claim as our invention:

1. In a rotary type printing unit, the combination of a pair of spaced side frames of arch form, each side frame comprising a pair ofupright columnar portions Joined at their upper ends by an arch portion, a pair of printing couples having their oppositeends iournaled in said side frames, each couple including a printing cylinder and a coacting impression cylinder disposed with the ends of the printing cylinders journaled in the upper ends of the columnar portions of said side frames and. with the ends of the impression cylinders journaled in the arch portions of said side frames, 9. drive mechanism including a horizontal drive shaft extending substantially along the lower end of one of said side frames, means including a pair of vertical shafts extending upward along the columnar portions of said one of said side frames for drivingly generally along said vertical shafts and having driving connection with the latter.

2, In a rotary type printing unit, the combination of a pair of spaced side frames of arch form, each side frame comprising a pair of upright columnar portions joined at their upper ends by an arch portion, a pair of printing conpies having their opposite ends journaled in said side frames, each couple including a printing cylinder and a coacting impression cylinder disposed with the ends of the printing cylinders journaled in the upper ends of the columnar portions of said side frames and with'the ends of the impression cylinders journaled in the arch portions of said side frames, a drive mechanism including a horizontal drive shaft extending substantially along the lower end of one of said side frames, means including a pair of vertical shafts extending upward along the columnar portions of said one of said side frames for drivingly connecting said horizontal shaft to re-' spective ones of said printing cylinders, means for rotatably supporting said vertical shafts on said columnar portions of said side frames, means for drivingly connecting each of said printing cylinders to its companion impression cylinder, a pair of inking mechanisms disposed beneath respective ones of said couples and each including a p urality of rotatable element journaled in said columnar portions of said side frames, a pair of fountain rollers disposed beneath respective ones of said inking mechanisms,

. and means for connecting .said vertical shafts drivingly to the adjacent ends of said rotatable elements and fountain rollers.

3. In a rotary type printing unit, the combination of a pair of spaced side frames of arch form, a pair of printing couples having their opposite ends journaled in said. side frames, each ers vertically distributed under each of said printing rollers for supplying ink thereto in a generally upward path, a drive mechanism including a horizontal drive shaft extending substantially along the lower end of one of said side frames, and means including a pair of vertical shafts laterally spaced with respect to each other and extendingupwardly along an outward face couple including a printing cylinder and a coacting impression cylinder disposed with the impression cylinders somewhat above their companion printing cylinders and laterally offset toward eachother, said impression cylinders being journaled in the upper arch portions of said frames, means for drivingly connecting each of said printing cylinders to its companion impression cylinder, means including a set of ink rollof one of said side frames for not only drivingly connecting said horizontal shaft to respective ones of said printing cylinders, but also connecting said horizontal shaft to said ink roller means.

4. In a rotary type printing unit, the combination of a frame structure having generally centrally located entrance openings in opposite sides thereof, a pair of printing couples extending between said sides adjacent the top of said openings, each of said couples including a printing cylinder and a, coacting impression cylinder, inking mechanisms for each of said couples located beneath its corresponding couple, said inking mechanisms each including a plurality of totatable elements extending between said side frames at opposite sides of said openings and accessible through the latter, ahorizontal drive shaft extending along one side of said frame structure beneath the opening in the latter, means including a pair of vertical drive shafts extending upward at opposite sides of the lastmentionedopening for connecting said horizontal shaft drivingly to each of said printing cylinders without obstruction of said last-mentioned opening, and means for-driving said rotatable elements of said inking mechanisms from the intermediate portions of said vertical shafts which are respectively adjacent the same.

5. In a rotary type printing unit. the combination of a frame structure having generally centrally located entrance openings in opposite sides thereof, a pair of printing couples extending between said sides adjacent the tops of said openings, each of said couples including a printing cylinder and a coacting impression cylinder, inking mechanisms for each of said couples located beneath its corresponding couple, said inking mechanisms each including a plurality ,of

rotatable element extending between said side,

frames at opposite sides of said openings and accessible through the latter, ink fountain rollers disposed beneath each of said inking mechanisms, a horizontal drive shaft extending along one side of said frame structure beneath the opening in the latter, means including a pair' of vertical drive shafts extending upward at opposite sides of the last-mentioned opening for connecting said horizontal shaft drivingly to each of said printing cylinders without obstruction of said last-mentioned opening, and means for driving said rotatable elements of said inking mechanisms as well as said fountain rollers from'the intermediate portions of said vertical shafts which are respectively adjacent the same.

6. In a rotary type printing unit having a pair of side-by-side couples each including a printing cylinder and a coacting impression cylinder, a drive mechanism including a horizontal drive shaft below said couples and transverse to the same, a set of ink transferring rollers located generally below each of said printing cylinders, ink fountains for conveying ink to said roller sets respectively, means including a pair of vertical shaft laterally spaced with respect to each other indcrs but also for conveying driving power to of said impression cylinders and meshing with the spur gears rigid with the associated printing cylinders, means for adiustably shifting said impression cylinders transaxially to vary .the

. clearance between the same and their associated printing cylinders, a horizontal drive shaft belowsaid couples and transverse to the same. and means including a pair of vertical shafts laterally spaced with respect to eachother for drivingly connecting said horizontal shaft to respective ones of said printing cylinders, whereby any change in backlash between meshing ones of said spur gears incident to adjustment of cylinder clearance does not alter the angular positions of said printing cylinders since their drive connections from said horizontal shaft remain unaffected by such adjustment.

8. In a rotary type printing unit having pair of side framesof arch form and having a pair of side-by-side couples each" including a stationarily joumaled printing cylinder and a coacting impression cylinder, said impression cylin- I der disposed somewhat above their companion printing cylinders and laterally offset toward each other, a drive mechanism including a horizontal drive shaft below said couples and transverse to the same, means-including a pair of vertical shafts laterally spaced with respect to each other drivingly connecting said horizontal shaft to respective ones of said printing cylinders; means for journaling said impression cylinder in said frame and enabling bodily lateral positioning of the same with respect to the associated printing cylinder, and means including respective pairs of gears for connecting each of said printing cylinders to its companion impression cylinder, so that the drive connections to said printing cylinders and the degree of backlash therein remains undisturbed in spite of changing said gears to accommodate the drive to cylinders of diderent diameters and in spite of changing the degree of mesh of said gears incident to bodily positioning of said impression cylinders.

9. In a rotary type printing press having a pair of side frames between which extend the printing and impression cylinders of a printing couple as well as the rotary elements of an inking mechanism located below said couple, a drive mechanism comprising a horizontal drive shaft journaled adjacent the lower portion of one of said side frames and extending transverse to the axes of said cylinders, a vertical drive shaft having first and second bevel gears rigid with its lower and upper ends respectively as well as a third gear rigid with its intermediate portion, means including a bevel gear carried by said horizontal shaft for drivingly connecting the latter to said first gear for rotating said vertical shaft, means including gears meshing with said second and third gears for connecting the latter drivingly respectively to said printing cylinder removal of the same together with the gears rigid.

therewith, whereby said vertical shaft and gears l2 rigid therewith together with said brackets may be fashioned as a separate bench assembled unit for application to the press.

10. In a rotary type printing press having a pair of side frames between which extend the printing and impression cylinders of a printing couple as well as the rotary elements of an inking mechanism located below saidcouple and the fountain roller of-an ink fountain disposed beneath said inking mechanism, a drive mechanism comprising a horizontal drive shaft Journaled adjacent the lower portion of one of said frames and extending transverse to the axes of said cylinders, a vertical drive shaft having first and second toothed elements rigid with its lower and upper end respectively as well as a third and fourth toothed element rigid with its intermediate portion, means including a toothed element carried by said horizontal shaft for drivingly connecting the latter to said first toothed element for rotating said vertical shaft, means including toothed elements meshing with respective individual ones of said second and third and fourth gears for connecting the latter drivingly respectively to said printing cylinder and said inking mechanism and said fountain roller,

and means removably secured to the outer face of said one side frame for rotatably supporting with together with said supporting means may be fashioned as a separate bench assembled unit for application to the press.

' 11. In a rotary printing press, the combination of a. printing couple including a printing cylinder, an inking mechanism having revoluble rollers and drums, and a fountain roller, all arranged one above another in the order named, a drive shaft extending vertically along one end of such series of elements, means for directly connecting said shaft drivingly to said couple and fountain roller and to said drums at adjacent points along the length of said shaft, and means located at the end of said series of elements opposite said sh'aft and driven from said printing cylinder 'for effecting relative axial movement between said rollers and drums of said inking mechanism in timed relation with the rotation thereof.

12. In a rotary type printing press, the combination of a printing couple, means including a reversely rotatable vertical drive shaft at one end of such couple for reversely rotating said couple, a fountain including rotatable fountain roller arranged with the latter in parallelism with said couple and with one end of said fountain roller adjacent said shaft, a first gear drivingiy connected to said fountain roller, second and third gears each meshed with said first gear and carried by respective shafts which lie on opposite sides of said vertical shaft and substantially equi-' distant therefrom, means including a common worm gear on said vertical shaft for jointly rotating the last-mentioned shafts in unison but in respective opposite directions, and means invertical shaft in one direction and the other only during rotation of said vertical shaft in the opposite'direction, whereby rotation of said fountain roller is maintained unidirectional despite any reversal of said vertical shaft and the couple driven thereby.

13. In a rotary type printing unit, the combina tion of a pair of. spaced side frames of arch form; each side frame comprising a pair of upright columnar portions joined at their upper ends by "ads of the printing cylinders journaled in the upper ends of the columnar portions of said side frames and with the ends of the impression cylinders journaled in the arch portions'of said side frames, a drive mechanism including a horizontal drive shaft extending substantially along the lower end of one of said side frames, means including a pair of vertical shafts extending upward along the columnar portions of said one of said side frames for drivingly connecting said horizontal shaft to respective ones of said printing cylinders, means for rotatably supporting said vertical shafts on said columnar portions of said side frames, means for drivingly connecting each of said printing cylinders to its companion impression cylinder, a pair of inking mechanisms disposed-beneath respective ones of said couples and each including a plurality of rotatable elements journaled in said columnar portions of said side frames, means for supplying ink to said inking mechanisms respectively, and means for connecting said vertical shafts drivingly to the adjacent ends of said rotatable elements.

- JOSEPH A. RIGGS,

EMORY W. WORTHINGTON. CHRISTOPHER VERNE 1mm.-

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